The Storm Peak Lab Cloud Property Validation Experiment Science and Operations Plan
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DOE/SC-ARM-10-021 STORMVEX: The Storm Peak Lab Cloud Property Validation Experiment Science and Operations Plan J Mace Principal Investigator S Matrosov B Orr M Shupe R Coulter P Lawson A Sedlacek G Hallar L Avallone I McCubbin C Long R Marchand September 2010 DISCLAIMER This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by the U.S. Government. Neither the United States nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Government or any agency thereof. DOE/SC-ARM-10-021 STORMVEX: The Storm Peak Lab Cloud Property Validation Experiment Science and Operations Plan September 2010 J Mace, University of Utah S Matrosov, CIRES, University of Colorado and NOAA/ESRL M Shupe, CIRES, University of Colorado and NOAA/ESRL P Lawson, Stratton Park Engineering Corporation G Hallar, Desert Research Institute I McCubbin, Desert Research Institute R Marchand, University of Washington B Orr, Argonne National Laboratory R Coulter, Argonne National Laboratory A Sedlacek, Brookhaven National Laboratory L Avallone, University of Colorado C Long, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research J Mace, September 2010, DOE/SC-ARM-10-021 Summary During the Storm Peak Lab Cloud Property Validation Experiment (STORMVEX), a substantial correlative data set of remote sensing observations and direct in situ measurements from fixed and airborne platforms will be created in a winter season, mountainous environment. This will be accomplished by combining mountaintop observations at Storm Peak Laboratory and the airborne National Science Foundation-supported Colorado Airborne Multi-Phase Cloud Study campaign with collocated measurements from the second ARM Mobile Facility (AMF2). We describe in this document the operational plans and motivating science for this experiment, which includes deployment of AMF2 to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The intensive STORMVEX field phase will begin nominally on 1 November 2010 and extend to approximately early April 2011. The science objectives of STORMVEX include: Science Objective 1: Collect a large correlative data set of remote sensing observations and direct in situ measurements in liquid, ice, mixed-phase, and precipitating cloud systems for analysis of cloud and precipitation retrievals. Science Objective 2: Document the properties of aerosols, both natural and anthropogenic, in cloud and precipitation processes in a wintertime, mountainous environment. Science Objective 3: Document the role of complex terrain on the physical processes that generate clouds and precipitation. STORMVEX will be based in the town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and the adjoining Routt National Forest that is managed by the Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation. The principal measurement site will be: 1. Storm Peak Lab, where in situ aerosol, cloud, and precipitation properties will be collected. 2. Thunderhead Lodge, where remote sensing elements of AMF2 will be located. 3. Christie Peak, where the AMF2 Aerosol Observing System will be housed. 4. Valley Floor, where guest instruments and additional elements of AMF2 will be located. In addition, airborne in situ and remote sensing measurements will be provided by the CAMPS campaign that will include the 100 hours of research flight time by the University of Wyoming King Air from roughly early January through February 2011. iii J Mace, September 2010, DOE/SC-ARM-10-021 Acronyms and Abbreviations AERI Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer AMF2 ARM Mobile Facility AMF2-AOS ARM Mobile Facility Aerosol Observing System AOS Aerosol Observing System ARM Atmospheric Radiation Measurement ARM Climate Research Facility ARM Facility BBSS balloon-borne sounding system BC black carbon CAMPS Colorado Airborne Multi-Phase Cloud Study CCN cloud condensation nuclei CLH closed-path laser hygrometer CPC condensation particle counter DMT Droplet Measurement Technologies, Inc. DRI Desert Research Institute FL flight level FSSP forward scattering spectrometer probe IRT infrared thermometer IWC ice water content JPL Jet Propulsion Laboratory Ka-SACR Ka-Band Scanning ARM Cloud Radar MFRSR multifilter rotating shadowband radiometer MMCR millimeter wavelength cloud radar MPL micropulse lidar MWR microwave radiometer NASA National Aeronautic and Space Administration OPS operations PARSIVEL Particle Size and Velocity (disdrometer) PI principal investigator PSAP particle soot absorption photometer RHI relative humidity with respect to ice RWP radar wind profiler SPL Storm Peak Laboratory SSRC Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation STORMVEX Storm Peak Lab Cloud Property Validation Experiment SWACR Scanning W-Band ARM Cloud Radar TSI total sky imager USFS United States Forest Service X-SACR X-Band Scanning ARM Cloud Radar iv J Mace, September 2010, DOE/SC-ARM-10-021 Contents Summary ...................................................................................................................................................... iii Acronyms and Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... iv 1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Science Objectives and Key Measurements ................................................................................. 2 1.1.1 Science Objective 1 ........................................................................................................... 2 1.1.2 Science Objective 2 ........................................................................................................... 3 1.1.3 Science Objective 3 ........................................................................................................... 4 2.0 Physical Locations, Instruments, and Measurements ........................................................................... 5 2.1 Thunderhead ................................................................................................................................. 6 2.1.1 Possible Sitting Adjustments ............................................................................................. 9 2.1.2 Power and Local Data Flow .............................................................................................. 9 2.1.3 Site Operation .................................................................................................................. 10 2.2 Christie Peak .............................................................................................................................. 10 2.2.1 Power and Local Data Flow ............................................................................................ 12 2.2.2 Site Operation .................................................................................................................. 13 2.3 Valley Floor ............................................................................................................................... 13 2.3.1 Power and Local Data Flow ............................................................................................ 14 2.3.2 Site Operation .................................................................................................................. 15 2.4 Storm Peak Lab .......................................................................................................................... 15 2.5 Precipitation Sensors and Other Instruments ............................................................................. 17 2.6 CAMPS ...................................................................................................................................... 18 2.6.1 CAMPS Experiment Design ........................................................................................... 18 3.0 STORMVEX ARM Cloud Radar Operations .................................................................................... 21 3.1 Radar Specifications ................................................................................................................... 21 3.2 Calibration/Verification ............................................................................................................. 26 3.2.1 SWACR Corner Reflector ............................................................................................... 26 3.2.2 X/Ka-SACR Corner Reflector......................................................................................... 26 3.3 Local NEXRAD Locations ........................................................................................................ 26 3.3.1 Cheyenne, WY ................................................................................................................ 27 3.3.2 Denver, CO.....................................................................................................................